Key facts
- Burning Man's 2026 Survival Guide now requires explicit permission to record individuals with smart eyewear.
- The rule applies to all devices, including cellphones, cameras, and smart glasses.
- The Burning Man Project updated its guidance to address the increasing prevalence and capabilities of smart eyewear.
- The organization stressed the importance of participant privacy and respecting consent.
Burning Man organizers have updated their 2026 Survival Guide to explicitly require participants to obtain consent before recording anyone with smart eyewear, such as Meta's Ray-Ban and Oakley AI glasses. The festival, set to run from August 31 to September 7 in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, aims to ensure participant privacy and respect personal boundaries. While the privacy rules are not new, the explicit inclusion of smart eyewear reflects the growing mainstream adoption and privacy concerns surrounding these discreet, AI-enabled devices. The Burning Man Project stated that consent must be received from anyone who may appear in a recording, whether they are the main subject or in the background. This move comes amid broader discussions about the ethical implications of smart glasses, whose cameras and microphones can capture content discreetly, sometimes with indicator lights that are easily obscured or disabled. Meta has faced scrutiny over its handling of potentially harassing content filmed by its glasses, despite vows to remove such material from its platforms. Even public figures like singer-songwriter Lorde have voiced criticism of the technology.